🍦Lawn Event, Ice Cream, and Cotton Candy

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Good morning, Princeton. Sorry for the later-than-usual Saturday newsletter. I try to get these out by 4am, but I just drove back from Florida last night and I needed a little extra sleep. Terrific news: there’s a lot to do and see in Princeton today.

Let’s get started.

—Justin Bullington

📬IN THIS ISSUE

💡What You Should Know
✅Places to Go This Weekend
☀️Princeton Weather
⛽️Princeton Gas Prices
🍦Princeton Person of the Week
💼Princeton Businesses
🎣Fathers Day Weekend
🔗Top Links of the Week
👷‍♂️Princeton Job Openings
👕Garage Sales
🧭From Princeton Tourism
🗳️Vote for Lauren, Wes, and Odin
⛪️Princeton Churches
🏋️Letter from Lori

💡WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Happy Birthday, Andy Shipp! 🧁

• BCR: “Princeton senior Payne Miller is the 2024 NewsTribune Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year after placing third in the Class 2A shot put and also qualifying for state in the discus.”

• Heath Department: Dairy Manufacturers Inc. is notifying consumers about a safety concern with Crecelac Infant 0-12 Infant Formula as part of an ongoing recall and expansion of a previous recall. More details can be found on the FDA website.

• Princeton Theater Group's education committee, Learning Stage, is hosting Camp 56, a two-week theater day camp for students from third grade to 2024 junior high graduates. This camp, held in conjunction with Festival 56’s summer season, offers participants the chance to engage in live performances and explore various aspects of theater production.

• Princeton Community Band 2024 Summer Season continues at 6pm at Soldiers and Sailors Park. Here are the concert dates:

  • June 16

  • June 30

  • July 7

  • July 21

  • July 28

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✅PLACES TO GO TODAY

• "Art on the Lawn" at the Prairie Arts Center runs from 9 AM to 2 PM and showcases the creativity and talent of local artists in an open-air setting. Visitors can enjoy Didough's Pretzels, unique pieces of art, and activities like "Paint Your Own Pottery" with The Knack.

• On Saturday, during Hornbaker Gardens' Open House Weekend, lunch will be available for purchase with the Princeton High School Music Boosters grilling to raise funds for the music department. Several workshops are scheduled, although the Leaf Casting classes are fully booked. Additionally, attendees can enjoy a free Arboretum walk at 2 PM as part of the Garden Walk series. Special pricing includes discounts like 50% off annuals, 30% off houseplants, 25% off perennial fruits, and various other deals on selected plants and garden items.

• See animal babies at the Boek-el-Zoo today from 12 PM to 3 PM. This event features various baby animals born in their in-house breeding program. Visitors can interact with some of the baby animals, while others with protective mothers will be viewable but not touchable.

• The 2024 Homestead Lawn Event is a fundraiser hosted at the Owen Lovejoy Homestead from 5 PM to 7 PM today. The event features Megan & Adam King, Jenna & Jacob Smith, and Mady & Isaiah Taylor, who are looking forward to continuing the annual tradition.

• Pat Owen Leary is performing live at the Barrel Society at 7 PM with no cover charge. Attendees are invited to enjoy drinks and rock out to the music.

⛅️PRINCETON WEATHER

Today: It will be cloudy with occasional rain showers. The high will be around 76°F, with winds from the SSW at 10 to 15 mph. The chance of rain is 50%. The evening will see a few clouds with a low near 55°F. Winds will shift to the NNW at 10 to 15 mph.

Sunday: The day will be mostly sunny, with some cloudy intervals. The high will reach 81°F, with strong NW winds at 15 to 25 mph. Partly cloudy skies will prevail overnight. The low will be around 54°F, with NNW winds at 10 to 20 mph. Sunrise is at 5:24 AM, and sunset at 8:30 PM.

Monday: Monday will be mostly sunny with a high of 73°F. Winds will be from the north at 5 to 10 mph. The evening will bring a few clouds, with an overnight low around 49°F. Winds will be light and variable.

🍦PRINCETON PERSON OF THE WEEK

🏅Tieg and Lucas Sisler

Reason for Nomination: “Tieg and Lucas opened Sisler's Ice Cream Shop in Princeton. They are always open to helping schools and businesses with fundraising. They are very much appreciated for all of the help they are giving the people of not only Princeton, but the county.”

Couldn’t agree more! Congratulations, Tieg and Lucas! You’ve won the one and only Princeton Person of the Week.

Okay, everyone. It’s time for you to nominate someone for next week’s Princeton Person of the Week here.

⛽️PRINCETON GAS PRICES

Regular

Amoco, 720 N Main St: $3.49
Sullivan’s Foods: $3.53
Casey’s West/North: $3.57
Beck’s West/North: $3.57
Road Ranger, N Main St: $3.57
Shell, 2225 N Main St: $3.57

💼PRINCETON BUSINESSES

• Ace Hardware is offering 20% off JBL speakers and Oakley sunglasses for Father's Day, with stock limited to in-store availability. Additionally, zero gravity chairs are on sale for $49.99, down from the original price of $99.99.

• Wyaton Hills Golf Course is hosting a Junior Golf Camp with sessions for 5-11 year-olds on June 6, 13, 20, 27, and July 11, and for 12-18 year-olds on June 7, 14, 21, 28, and July 12. Each session costs $20 and runs from 8 AM to 10 AM; call (815) 872-2641 to register.

• The Apollo is showing "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" (R) and "Sight" (PG) from June 7th to June 13th. "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" showtimes are Saturday at 4:15 PM and 7:00 PM, Sunday at 1:30 PM, 4:15 PM, and 7:00 PM, and Tuesday to Thursday at 4:15 PM and 7:00 PM. "Sight" showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 4:30 PM and 7:15 PM, Sunday at 1:45 PM, 4:30 PM, and 7:15 PM, and Tuesday to Thursday at 4:30 PM and 7:15 PM.

• Flowers By Julia has just received a new shipment of fiddle leaf figs, priced at $38 each, not including the pot. Visit their shop to add one of these popular plants to your home decor.

• Xan Dandy Cotton Candy Co. will be debuting at the Princeton Farmer’s Market this Saturday with two new flavors: Tootsie Roll (dye-free) and Citrus Passion Fruit. The full flavor lineup includes Banana, Blue Raspberry, Bubble Gum, Cherry Limeade, Grape, Lemon (dye-free and no artificial flavors), and Watermelon.

• Spoons and Forks is expanding their menu with new dishes including a BLT with egg, Crab Rangoon Dip, and Pasta Bolognese. Stop in to try these delicious additions and enjoy their enhanced dining options.

• Hornbaker Gardens is now an official seller of POLYWOOD Furniture, offering durable, low-maintenance pieces made from recycled plastic, available in various colors and resistant to environmental stressors. Join Hornbaker Gardens on Father's Day, June 16th, from 4 PM to 6 PM for the Music in the Meadow Wildwoods Show.

• Bean Buzz is featuring a special June menu with drinks like Salted Caramel Mocha Macadamia Latte, White Mocha Maple Macadamia Latte, Lemon Frost Frappe, and Tropical Tide Energy Buzz or Italian Soda. Enjoy these refreshing and unique beverages made with macadamia nut milk, perfect for the summer season.

• Julie Wagner's Rock Shop is open to the public today from 12 PM to 6 PM at 924 N Pleasant St. The shop features nearly 300 varieties of crystals, gemstones, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and fossils from around the world, along with carved gemstone animals, spheres, towers, and unique jewelry. Additionally, visitors can find crystal mystery bags and the newly published "Gem & Mineral Log Book" and "Crystals Word Search Book."

• The Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Lunch & Learn event on Thursday, June 13th from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at the Prouty-Zearing Community Building. The session, led by Joy Meachum from OSF HealthCare, will focus on managing stress and improving sleep, with lunch provided by Los Ranchitos. Register by June 12th by scanning the QR code or calling (815) 875-2616, with a fee of $15 per person.

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🎣FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND

The Illinois Conservation Foundation is hosting Free Fishing Days from June 14-17, 2024, coinciding with Father's Day weekend. This event allows participants to fish without needing a license, salmon stamp, or inland trout stamp, providing a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and create lasting memories with loved ones.

Places to Go, From Bureau County Tourism

• Garage Sales: Thursday, June 13 to Saturday

• Lunch in the Park: Main St, Princeton - Friday

• Hungry World Farm Wood Fired Pizza: Tiskilwa - Friday

• Psycho Silo Car & Motorcycle Swap Meet: Friday & Saturday

• Town-Wide Sales: Wyanet & Princeton - Friday & Saturday

• Sale at the Wyanet VFW: Friday & Saturday

• Wyanet Locker Cookout: Friday & Saturday

• Sunset Ridge Motocross (MX Championship): Walnut - Friday to Sunday

• Movie & Music: Spring Valley Mini Park - Friday

• Ryan Daniel Concert: Psycho Silo - Saturday

• Old Wheels Car Show: 1st Lutheran Princeton - Saturday

• Princeton Farmers Market: Saturday

• Daddy’s & Donuts: Zearing Park - Saturday

• Beef & Ag Festival with Jason Pritchett: Saturday

• Community Band Concert: Princeton - Sunday

• Lake DePue Car Show: Sunday

• Music in the Meadow: Hornbaker’s Garden - Sunday

🔗TOP LINKS THIS WEEK

• Vote “Lo” cal for Outdoorsy’s “Best Summer Job” national contest to spend 30 days traveling by RV and documenting her family’s journey along the way. Vote for PHS graduate Lauren Holschbach-Sweeney and her family!

• “Two motorcycle riders were badly hurt Saturday afternoon after crashing on Route 6 in Hollowayville…it appeared they lost control on a corner, hit the guardrail and were then ejected.”

• The Princeton Youth Soccer League is announcing that fall soccer registration starts on June 1st, and ends on June 31st. They are moving from school grade-based divisions to age-based divisions for the fall season.

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👷PRINCETON JOB OPENINGS

• The Princeton Fire Department offers a four-month Basic Operations Fire Academy for $100, with classes on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 PM to 10 PM, and two 8-hour Saturday sessions each month. Applications are available at the Princeton Fire Station. Contact Nick LaVanway, FF Academy Coordinator, for more details.

• Spoons and Forks is hiring bartenders and servers. Stop in for an application during their hours: Tuesdays from 11 AM to 3 PM and Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 AM to 8 PM.

• The BELIEVE Foundation is hiring an Event Coordinator to manage all aspects of their nonprofit fundraisers, including budgeting, scheduling, site selection, permits, food planning, transportation, themes, activities, equipment, and risk management. If you are organized and enjoy planning events, contact [email protected] or call/text Mary at 815-579-6993.

• The Youth Service Bureau in Princeton is hiring a Family Finding and Resource/Recruitment Specialist to help foster children find homes. This position is generally Monday-Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, with occasional evenings and no weekends. Qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in social work or a related field, strong communication and research skills, and a valid Illinois Driver's License. Responsibilities include researching and locating kinship relationships, supporting caseworkers, and engaging with youth and families to ensure stability and permanency.

• Princeton Elementary School District 115 is looking for classroom paraprofessionals to join the team at Douglas Elementary School for the 2024-2025 school year. Successful candidates will assist students and teachers with general supervision, education, and management of students. This is a great opportunity for those looking to make a difference in the education sector. Interested candidates should contact Amanda Hunt at [email protected]. Come be a part of the PES team and contribute to a positive learning environment.

• Sherwin-Williams is urgently hiring for their Management & Sales Training Program in Princeton, Illinois, offering a starting salary of $51,500 per year. This full-time, entry-level position provides an accelerated path to store management within 18-24 months, focusing on operations, client relations, and market strategy to oversee a million-dollar business. The role typically involves a 44-hour work week that may include evenings and weekends, preparing trainees for advancement to Assistant Store Manager upon successful completion of the program.

• Bureau County Senior Citizens Association is look for an Information and Assistance Coordinator. They are looking for an experienced Information and Assistance Coordinator with expertise in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. This full-time position requires someone who can work well with the senior population and is proficient in office settings. Key qualifications include organizational skills, and knowledge of Microsoft Office and Excel is a plus. The position offers a Monday through Friday schedule, 8 AM to 4 PM, with paid holidays, and a 401K with a match and vacation. Please note that this position does not offer insurance.

  • They are also searching for a Congregate Meal/Activities Coordinator. Join the team as a Congregate Meal/Activities Coordinator! They need a creative individual who can drive IDOT vehicles and has basic computer knowledge. The ideal candidate will work well with seniors, handle multi-tasking efficiently, and be willing to pass the Food Sanitation Managers course.

  • For both positions, send your resume to:
    Denise Ihrig, Director
    Bureau County Senior Citizens Association
    16 W. Marion St., Princeton, IL 61356
    Email: [email protected]

🗳️VOTE FOR LAUREN, WES, AND ODIN

Vote “Lo” cal for Outdoorsy’s “Best Summer Job” national contest to spend 30 days traveling by RV and documenting her family’s journey along the way.

Prior to having her four-year-old son, Lauren Holschbach-Sweeney and her husband Wes bicycle-toured to and through all forty-eight lower states. Their best memories as a family of three are spending time outdoors and adventuring together.

The top six finalists depend solely on the number of votes - you can vote once every twenty-four hours. Voting ends on June fifteenth.

Vote for PHS graduate Lauren Holschbach-Sweeney and her family!

👕GARAGE SALES

• A huge multifamily garage sale is happening today, from 9 AM to 4 PM at 203 Park Ave East. The sale features a variety of items including furniture, holiday decor, home goods, collectibles, girls/women's/young men's clothing, yard tools, and many other useful things. Everyone is invited to come and find some great deals on a wide range of products.

• A garage sale will be held on June 14th from 9 AM to 4 PM and June 15th from 9 AM to 2 PM at 722 N. Linn St. Items for sale include a Craftsman Band Saw, numerous tools, a recliner, teen homecoming dresses, plus-size women's clothes, home decor, and women's shoes.

• A substantial garage sale will take place at 576 Boyd Ave, Greencroft from June 13-15, with hours extending from 10am-6pm on Thursday, 9am-4pm on Friday, and 9am-2pm on Saturday. Items for sale include a wide range of home and wall decor, an electric lawn mower, various dishes, plenty of furniture, a 32" TV, and Christmas decorations. Additionally, there will be records, girls' clothing ranging from 3 months to size 8, fine glassware, tools, books, medical items, and much more.

• More in Bureau County is hosting a county-wide garage sale event on Father's Day weekend, June 14 and 15. This year, the event extends beyond its traditional Route 34 location, inviting the entire community to participate. Residents who wish to have their garage sales listed or who seek more information about participating venues can contact [email protected]. Sale details will be included in a printed directory available to all shoppers during the event.

Announce your garage sale: [email protected]

🗳️VOTE FOR LAUREN, WES, AND ODIN

Vote “Lo” cal for Outdoorsy’s “Best Summer Job” national contest to spend 30 days traveling by RV and documenting her family’s journey along the way.

Prior to having her four-year-old son, Lauren Holschbach-Sweeney and her husband Wes bicycle-toured to and through all forty-eight lower states. Their best memories as a family of three are spending time outdoors and adventuring together.

The top six finalists depend solely on the number of votes - you can vote once every twenty-four hours. Voting ends on June fifteenth.

Vote for PHS graduate Lauren Holschbach-Sweeney and her family!

🧭FROM PRINCETON TOURISM

The "Down on Main" Summer Street Concerts in Princeton feature live music starting at 6 PM, with food trucks and fun beginning at 5 PM. Here are the highlights and additional activities:

• July 12: Mike & Joe - Midwest's Renowned Cover Band

• August 9: Dillon Carmichael - Top Hit Country Artist

• September 5: World Turning Band - A Fleetwood Mac Tribute

• October 5: MacKenzie Porter - Country Singer/Songwriter

Additional Summer Activities:

• June 15: Beef and Ag Festival, Seven Miles South & Jason Pritchett

• June 21: Tour Bike Ride Pre-Party, Kev Roy & The Joy

• June 22 - August 4: Festival 56 Summer Season

• July 4: Bluewater Kings Band

• August 22: Bureau County Fair, Mitchell Tenpenny with special guest Lauren Alaina

• September 6: Homestead Festival, Dylan Schneider

• September 7: Homestead Festival, Wall of Denial - Stevie Ray Vaughan Tribute

🤝HELP WANTED

Dauber Company, a manufacturer of high-quality silicon carbide products, is family-owned and operated and is located in Tonica, Illinois.

We are hiring experienced maintenance workers starting at $32/hr, entry-level maintenance workers at $25-31/hr, and laborers starting at $24/hr.

Dauber Company offers paid holidays and vacation, 100% free medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401k plan, profit sharing, and advancement opportunities.

Apply by sending an email to [email protected], mailing to 577 N. 18th Rd, Tonica, or calling 815-442-3569, extension *813.

⛪️PRINCETON CHURCHES

• Princeton First United Methodist Church is saying farewell to Reverend Ryan Sutton, who has served for the past five years. His final services will be on Saturday, June 15 at 5:30 PM with a reception to follow, and Sunday, June 16 at 9:00 AM with a reception to follow. The public is invited to attend and thank him as he relocates to Roscoe United Methodist Church.

Vacation Bible Schools

• Princeton Bible Church | June 9th-13th | 6-8:30pm | Sign Up Here

• First Lutheran Church | July 14-18 | 5:00-7:30pm |  815-875-1685

• Evangelical Covenant Church | June 10th-14th | 9-11:30am | Sign Up Here

• Bureau Township Community Church | July 8th-12th | 6pm | Website 

• Princeton First United Methodist Church | July 8th-11th | 6pm | Sign Up

• Tiskilwa Community Church | June 24th-28th | 6pm | Sign Up: 815-878-4763

Food Drives

• The Bureau County Food Pantry, in collaboration with the Old Wheels Club and 1st Lutheran Church, is hosting a Mobile Food Pantry event at the Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W. Peru St., on Thursday, June 27th. Registration starts at 9:15 a.m., with food distribution beginning at 10:00 a.m. Participants should bring laundry baskets for collecting food items. The distribution, expected to take up to two hours, will be indoors for comfort and accessibility. Attendees are advised not to arrive more than 30 minutes early to manage the flow. Volunteers' efforts are greatly appreciated. For more information and a map of area food pantries, visit www.riverbendfoodbank.org. This event aims to provide essential food supplies to those in need.

Add your church to the list — email: [email protected]

🏋️LETTER FROM LORI

I always laugh when people ask me if I run. Some are actually looking right at me and can’t come to a logical answer to the question.

Now, I run errands, and I run out of patience, but to physically move my squishy self up and down, propelling my body in a forward motion… no, can’t say that I do. I could probably work up a dash if a small child was in imminent danger of being hit by a speeding ambulance, but honestly, I would move my body out of habit, not to be considered fit. I don’t have long, bulky legs. The adjectives “dancer” or “sprinter” would veer more to the side of short, fat and stumpy. With a little effort, they could become leaner but either and will occur never in the picture.

I am also a little too heavy. I’m afraid the Laws of Inertia might prove fatal if I got all of this bulk going at once and then was forced to halt rapidly. I just don’t think I could make it all stop. It would be like the lead time a locomotive would need to stop for a bovine blocking the tracks. There’s going to be a mess!

My top heavy tendencies would require a bra with enough agility and durability to help thwart a wreck that would rival an explosion. Indeed, a hefty sports bra capable of stopping a rocket ship mid-flight.

I know this from a near-fatal experience I once had in an aerobics class. I was happily (OK, not so happily doing jumping jacks, when I gasped big, so some sort of wire knifed to my throat. I got no demands for money (Where would I keep money in the horrible exercise outfit I was wearing?), so I couldn’t imagine what this thief might want. It was then that I realized that the underwire in my bra had cut loose and worked its pointy way up to my neck.

It’s a lucky thing my terror froze me because one more jumping jack, and I could have experienced a fatal stabbing to the carotid artery. Looking back on it all, I shudder to think how my obituary would have read — “Memorials may be directed to Playtex Research Foundation.”

Despite my reluctance to exercise, and the fact that it can sometimes be dangerous for me, I know I need to do it. It is the same with exercising our faith. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it’s embarrassing to be vulnerable and to go to the altar and sometimes we fall off the steps. We all try to do our aerobics stone and twist like pretzels. When we try too hard, we may encounter a little pain, so we need to go easy on ourselves.

That’s OK, though, because the effort makes the difference. As long as we keep trying, progress will be made, and our faith muscles will increase. Slowly, but surely we can bulk ourselves up to Arnold size and stand victorious over the trials and lab of a weak faith.

Lori owns the Boek-el-ZOO in Princeton. It’s not just a pet shop — it’s an experience!

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